


Hold your colour

by Ischa



Category: Adam Lambert (Musician), American Idol RPF, Danger Days: The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys (Album), My Chemical Romance
Genre: Action/Adventure, Crossover, Gen, M/M, Non-Graphic Violence, Unresolved Sexual Tension, incest (implied), never close our eyes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-06-21
Updated: 2012-08-06
Packaged: 2017-11-08 06:32:19
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 17,912
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/440197
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ischa/pseuds/Ischa
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This is a Danger Days/<a href="http://www.tape.tv/musikvideos/Adam-Lambert/Never-Close-Our-Eyes">Never close our eyes</a> crossover in which Adam is the messiah (maybe), <a href="http://pseudopatient.livejournal.com/12739.html#cutid1">Emilie Autumn</a> an empath and Poison a crazy motherfucker who calls bullshit on it all. </p>
<p>  <i>“We don't know what's out there.”<br/>“We know what's waiting for us here. Me? I will be sent back to be a freaking drone again. You? They will take you apart, Adam, to see how you tick and then they will maybe put you back together after they find out what it is that makes you unique and rip. it. out,” Emilie says.<br/>“Don't sugar-coat it.” </i></p>
            </blockquote>





	1. One: Blue

**Author's Note:**

> For delicateflower8.  
> Beta by the always awesome asm_z. 
> 
> This story is finished and chapters will be posted as soon as they have been beta read.

**One: Blue**

~1~  
“What?” Poison asks. He takes a drag of his cigarette and Kid waits him out. “He's no John Connor.” 

“The kid doesn't even know who John Connor is,” Kid answers with a smile. He reserves those only for these rare occasions when they are alone. 

“Probably not. It's probably a good thing too. So, she said a messiah?” Poison wants too know. 

Kid nods. “He's on the run and apparently important enough for Korse to get personally involved,” Kid says.  
That gets Poison's attention. That would explain why Korse has left them alone recently, mostly.  
“Yeah,” Kid says, “I thought so too.”  
Poison nods. It is worth checking that kid out. 

~+~  
To be honest Adam has no freaking idea what happened back there in the camp. No idea at all. But something happened and he needed to get out of there and leave the white washed walls and pills and machines. The disturbing thing is that he doesn't even remember how or when he got there. It seems like he was always there. The days blurred and merged and eternity lurked on the horizon in an off-white.  
He counts the days he's been out of there. Nine. He has no idea where to go and what to do, but he does know that people are after him. Not only because he broke out of the camp – not alone, mind you, but because something happened and people saw it. 

“It's just us now,” Emilie says. She crosses her arms over her thin chest and looks out of the busted window. Her voice is hard and she somehow managed to dye her hair pink since they left the camp. She said it was because that way she would blend in better on the edges of the zones. 

“You don't have to stay with me,” Adam answers. 

“Where else would I go?” she asks. 

“Where did everyone else go?” 

“Back to their homes, away from you, I have no idea. It doesn't matter to me, Adam,” she says. 

“You realise I have no plan for this, right?” 

She nods, once, hard. “No one has a plan for something like that. I bet THEY didn't know what hit them either.”  
He smiles. She smiles back at him. “People will talk. Mostly it will be hushed up, but I bet word gets out to all kinds of scum, Adam. We aren't safe here.” She looks out over the fringes of the zone again. Adam knows what she's thinking. 

“We don't know what's out there.” 

“We know what's waiting for us here. Me? I will be sent back to be a freaking drone again. You? They will take you apart, Adam, to see how you tick and then they will maybe put you back together after they find out what it is that makes you unique and rip. it. out,” Emilie says. 

“Don't sugar-coat it.” 

“I can't image they're going to be gentle about it,” she answers. 

“The zones it is.” 

“The zones it is,” she nods. 

~2~  
Poison can't allow himself to be gentle with the kid; he needs info and he needs it now. Kid watches as Poison asks the important questions. 

“Okay, kid-”

“Brendon,” the kid interrupts. 

“Brendon. I need to know what went down in that camp.” 

“I wasn't there. I heard it from some guy-”

“I don't care. I need to know what happened and why people are freaking out about it.”  
Brendon shrugs, but Kid isn't fooled. Neither is Poison. He knows people and that kid is scared shitless and that's a good thing too. Keeps you alive. 

“Pills day in and day out and mindless tasks and then a few days ago a few people tried a break out and they were cornered and -” Brendon stops, but Poison waits him out. If that kid wasn't one of the people who got away, Kid's gonna eat his freaking gun. “They used some kind of gas,” Brendon whispers. “And then this guy did something.”

“What do you mean "something"?”

Brendon looks up at Poison then, wonder in his huge eyes. “It was like magic. He built a barrier out of the most beautiful blue you've ever seen. Right between us and them.” 

Brendon isn't a very good liar, Kid thinks. “Where is he now?” 

“I don't know. People got separated.” 

Poison nods. Happens all the time. After a break-out you're safer in smaller numbers. “Okay. Jet's gonna give you something to eat now,” he says. 

“So?” Kid asks after Brendon's gone with Jet Star. 

“You heard him. They used some kind of gas. Hell only knows what was in that stuff. He was probably hallucinating.” 

“Ever the sceptic,” Kid answers. 

“Ever the optimist. There is no magic, there is no time-travel and no saviour. We're on our own.” 

Kid sighs. “Still worth checking it out. And if Korse wants him, we want to have him on our side-”

“Or dead,” Poison says, because sometimes he has to make the hard decisions.  
Kid nods. 

~+~  
“Put that on,” she says throwing him a jacket and t-shirt. God only knows where she got this stuff and how. He decides not to ask. “We need to do something with your hair soon too.” 

“It's fine.” 

“There are people who know who you are, there are people who think you're a messiah of some sort. There are people who-”

“Think I'm a freak and want me dead,” he interrupts undressing and throwing his old shirt into a corner. The new one is a dark blue, the jacket too, but bright and vibrant. He hasn’t seen such a colour since they broke out. 

“It's the same as your eyes,” she says. 

“I like it.” 

“You better.”

“So, what's the plan?” 

“I got us a ride and supplies.”

“And?”

“We drive out of here and into the desert.” 

“That is your plan?” Adam asks. 

“You can come up with one any time, Adam. I'm all ears.” She's crossed her arms over her chest in her no-nonsense pose. It's hard to argue with her when she's like this. For such a small, slim woman she's pretty freaking tough. 

“We need a place to stay and we need-”

“I know what you're going to say, because you like people despite everything.” She sighs. “For now, we need to get moving and keep you alive. We'll make up the rest as we go. Okay?” 

“Okay.” 

~3~  
“D doesn't believe in a messiah,” Pony says lazily. Poison nods, of course he doesn't. No one in their right minds would. “But something is up. This was no ordinary camp.” 

“Are there even ordinary camps?” Kid asks. 

Pony smiles sharply. “No.” 

“So, what was it then?” 

“Experiments of some sorts. Higher brain functions and all that shit.” 

“I thought BLIND wanted us all brain-dead?” Poison says. 

“Seems, not all of us. Some people are born with natural gifts and BLIND wants to know why and how to get rid of it. Or that is D's theory. We know shit about this, you know?”  
Poison nods. It isn't as easy as it used to be to get in and out of BLIND facilities with info. 

“What's yours?” Kid asks. 

Pony shrugs. “If brainwashed, these people could be really freaking dangerous. Mind reading and all that jazz. If it is true.”

“And we don't know what they are brewing in their labs.” 

“We don't. D says you better find that messiah and quick.” 

“D has any idea what to do with him after?” Kid wants to know. 

“Hell if I know. On some days even D just wants to flip the switch like the Joker.” 

“Hell on same days I want to do that too,” Poison admits. 

Pony smiles. “A saviour would be handy about right now.” 

“We managed on our own for years now,” Poison gives back sharply. 

“And we will keep on fighting, you know that,” Pony answers gently, but firmly. He steps closer and Poison keeps still, let's him tuck back a strand of his hair, lets him get close without breaking his arm on pure instinct. “There,” Pony says. Poison exhales slowly. When Pony does shit like that Poison just wants to slam him against the nearest surface and kiss him senseless – Kid knows that because he knows Poison. 

“You heard about the whereabouts of the messiah?” Kid asks. 

“No, he isn't in the City anymore. Or he's really good at hide and seek.” 

“The outskirts of the zones aren't safe. All kinds of scum lives there. They would rat him out for their next fix. If he's smart, he's making for the desert.” 

“Don't know about smart, but he must have spine, at least. He did break out of that camp,” Pony answers, stepping back. 

“Keep us posted?” 

“You're the first to know if I should stumble upon a lost messiah. Any idea how he really looks?” 

“The kids we spoke to said really tall, and pretty and with piercing eyes. But they were scared and probably high.” 

Pony grins. “I'll keep my eagle eyes wide open then.”

~+~  
The desert is different from how he imagined it. It's way grittier and colourful. Hotter too. Emilie is looking out of the window as they're passing by abandoned houses and gas stations, crippled trees, dunes and colourful mailboxes. Adam wonders what the purpose of those are. It's not like there is a mail delivery system out here, he thinks. But maybe he's wrong. People live here, people who don't want to be found, people who have to communicated to stay alive and undetected. People like him. 

“We'll have to find somewhere to spend the night,” she says. 

“I know,” he answers. 

“The desert gets cold at night. We need to hide the car too.”

“I know,” he repeats. He wonders if this is going to be his life now. Running from BLIND, driving through the desert and letting her care for him. He is a grown man, for god's sake. He should be able to care for himself. 

“You're thinking too loud.” 

“How can you even tell?” 

“I'm awesome like that,” she answers.  
He suspects there is something else going on with her too. The people in the camp, he doesn't think they were normal people.  
He looks at his hands on the steering-wheel. They look huge and pale. No one in the desert should look that pale, he knows it. There are no traces of the blue smoke. He doesn't even know how he did what he did. Maybe it was a fluke. 

She puts her small hand over one of his and squeezes. “It's there, you just need to access it.” 

“What if I don't want to?” he says softly. 

“Then you don't.”  
He nods, sometimes it's just that easy. But he knows it won't stay that way for long.


	2. Two: Neon green

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _  
> “The snake king.”  
>  “He's going by King of the Cobra,” Kid corrects.   
> Poison takes another drag. “Today or for some time now? I remember when he wanted people to call him Almighty Cobra, Alien Snake and Cobra Starship,” Poison rolls his eyes. _

**Two: Neon green**

~1~  
“You're nervous about this,” Kid says. 

Poison nods, he wouldn't ever admit it to anyone else, but Kid, well, Kid is and always was a special case. “What if he is what people say he is?” 

“A saviour?” 

“Yeah. What if this could be over?” 

“You know it isn't that easy. Even if that kid has special powers or whatever, even if people would follow him, BLIND isn't going to surrender. Korse isn't going to stop just because some kid can produce blue smoke with his fingertips or whatever,” Kid answers. He lights one of the last three cigarettes he has left, takes a drag and hands it over to Poison. 

“Thanks,” he says. Smoking is really a freaking bad habit to have out here in the zones. But then, the propaganda is that no one smokes in the City. Yeah, Kid thinks, my ass. 

“You want to go looking for him?” Kid asks.   
Poison exhales smoke slowly, thinking it over. Kid lets him. He knows what Poison is taking into consideration: they can't just drive around in the desert. Gas doesn't come cheap. But he'll be damned if his fingers aren't itching for the wheel anyway. 

“No.”

“We don't have anything better to do. We're sitting on our asses, Poison.” Kid says and after a short silence. “Ghoul's going crazy. You know how he loves to be confined.” 

Poison smiles. “Where would we even start?” 

Kid grins. “Where everyone would start who is hiding. They need clothes and supplies. Gas probably too.” 

“The snake king.” 

“He's going by King of the Cobra,” Kid corrects. 

Poison takes another drag. “Today or for some time now? I remember when he wanted people to call him Almighty Cobra, Alien Snake and Cobra Starship,” Poison rolls his eyes. 

“Yeah, that's the name of his car,” Kid says. 

“Figures.”

“I know you don't like him much-”

“Because he's batschit crazy, Kid.” 

Kid ignores the statement. “He knows shit and he knows how to get stuff done and if you need something, people will point you to him.”

Poison sighs. “You're going. I can't deal with all the neon. You can take Ghoul.”

“Ghoul likes neon.” 

“Ghoul like to mess around with Vicky.” 

“That too,” Kid admits. 

“Three days, if I'm not hearing from you by then, I'm gonna come get you-”

“Guns blazing. I know,” Kid interrupts smoothly. 

~+~  
Adam doesn't think he's ever going to get sick of the desert. Sitting on the sand, his back against the warm metal of the car and letting the grains run trough his fingers, he feels peaceful. Emilie is sleeping in the backseat of the car, but Adam just can't sleep. He's wide awake. The stars are far away points of dirty light, but it's better than the grey ceilings of the camp. They could hide out here. Find one of the abandoned houses, make it their own. And then, what? What would they do for the rest of their lives?   
It's a hard question, he never had to think about it before. Before everything was laid out clear. Every day was the same. Pills and tests and sleeping and being awake when he was told to sleep or being awake.   
This here is a whole new world and maybe they're not going to make it on their own.

 

~2~  
Kid genuinely likes the King. He knows Poison doesn't get it, but then Poison and the King have different opinions on how to fight BLIND. The King sat up camp in a cave and cares for those who come to him for help. No matter if they're staying. He isn't actively trying to destroy BLIND. That is of course no option for Poison. 

“Kid!” The King says, grabbing him by the shirt and hugging the living hell out of him. “You came without your leader.” 

“You know Poison, he-”

“Doesn't like me, whatever,” he dismisses. 

Kid shrugs as the King lets him go. “We need to talk.” 

“Figured this wasn't a booty call.” He turns to the entrance of the cave and gestures them to follow. “Come in into my parlour-”

“Said the spider to the fly,” Kid finishes and the King laughs. 

“We've heard about the so called messiah, but we don't believe in it,” the King says inside. They’re sitting at a big green table. Kid can hear children playing outside in the shadows where it's safe. 

McCoy nods.” It's possible he was here. You know there is a lot of driftwood coming and going. They take what we can give them and are out of here. Some people need to be on the run.” 

Kid nods. Yeah, some people do. “We don't have a very good description, but the kids we talked to said: tall, pretty and with piercing eyes.” 

“Doesn't ring a bell,” the King says, “but I haven’t dealt with the driftwood the last few days. That was Bilvy.” 

“Can I talk to him or is he busy being pretty and what not?” Kid asks. 

The King laughs. “Can't blame a boy for trying.” 

It's true and you really can't blame a boy for trying. And it's not that Kid doesn't like Bilvy, it's more that he feels some stupid kind of competition every time they're in the same room. 

“He's out,” McCoy throws in, “but he should be back tonight.” 

“Sure?” 

“He said he would be back by nightfall today. So, yeah, I am. If he isn't, he's dead.”   
Kid isn't sure what the King would do then, because as far as everyone who is close enough to the King is concerned, Bilvy and McCoy keep the King sane. 

“He'll be back,” the King cuts in. “He's always coming back.”

~+~  
Adam argues with Emilie all of the time now. He wants to rest and find a place to stay, but she keeps pushing.   
So when they find the colony, because there is no other way to describe it, it's a mess of tents and cars. He makes her stop, needing to stretch his legs anyway; needing to get out of the car for a little while. 

“Fine,” she says. “I guess we can ask around where to get supplies and things like that. Not that they won't smell we're fresh meat,” she sighs. 

“It'll be fine.” 

She gives him a look. “When we're dead, then it will be fine.” 

“Aren't you a ray of sunshine?” 

She smiles sharply at him. “Honey, you have no idea.”   
He tugs her against him and she lets him, breathing slowly and carefully as he hugs her. There wasn't much human contact in the camps. It wasn't encouraged and to be honest they didn't really feel like there was something missing. But now, Adam wants to touch and hug all the time. Like he's trying to compensate for all the lost years.  
“Come on, then,” she says into his chest. 

They figure out pretty fast that it's some kind of market. And that people don't care much for strangers, because at the market a lot of people are. They're blending in alright thanks to Emilie's hair and clothes. Colour is everywhere and it's vibrant. A living thing. Hair, clothes, skin. 

“I want colour on my skin,” Adam whispers as a pretty girl with a lot of ink walks by them. She smiles at him as she hears it and Adam smiles back. 

“You would,” Emilie answers, pulling him away.

They break up for an hour to stroll around and while he's waiting on her by the car a vibrant green shirt catches his eye. The guy packing them up looks up, most likely because he feels Adam staring. 

“Want it?” he asks. 

Adam does, but Emilie has all their money. He didn't ask where she got it from. He's sure she wouldn't have told him anyway. “No.” 

The guy looks him up and down and then smiles. He's just a boy, really, Adam thinks. “Yeah, you do. Tell you what,” he says, coming closer, “I'm gonna give it to you.”

“What?” 

“It's a gift. I think it'll fit you.” 

“I can't-”

“Don't be stupid. Take it,” the guy says, pushing the shirt at Adam and Adam takes it on instinct. 

“Thanks,” Adam says, smiling. 

“You are really-” he stops. 

“Stupid?” 

“Pretty,” the boy answers.   
Adam laughs. 

 

~3~  
“I hear his bike,” McCoy says, getting up. 

The King nods. Kid waits them out. He's not going to get up for this. Bilvy knows his way here. He'll be here in a few minutes. Kid can spare a few minutes – today at least. It isn't always the case. He wishes Ghoul would stop fucking around with Vicky and be here for when Bilvy sits down at the King's side. But of course Ghoul won't. These moments with Vicky are rare and far in between. 

“You're back,” the King says. 

Bilvy nods once in the Kings direction. “Kid,” he says. Not hostile, but not friendly either. 

“Bilvy,” Kid answers. 

The King rolls his eyes at them. Kid can't even blame him for it. They behave like children. Not that the King doesn't enjoy this shit, Kid thinks fondly.   
“Kid and his merry band of do-gooders are looking for someone,” the King says as Bilvy sits down. His hair is a mess and there is sand and dust on his skin, but he still looks fucking pretty, Kid thinks. 

“We see a lot of people.” 

“Someone special,” McCoy throws in. 

“Of course,” Bilvy answers. “So?”

“Tall, pretty, piercing eyes,” Kid says, because that's the best description they have.” 

“That's all?” Bilvy answers. “Could be me for all I know.” 

“I wouldn't say your eyes are piercing,” McCoy says.   
Bilvy smiles, a slow and dangerous smile. 

“Did you see any new people at the market?” Kid asks. 

“Fresh meat, you mean?” 

Kid nods. It's not a nice description, but it fits. “Yeah.” 

“A pretty girl with red hair and torn white clothes. She obviously was fresh meat, but I wouldn't have messed around with her.”

“We're looking for a guy.” 

“A few,” Bilvy stops and cocks his head. “One had really freakishly blue eyes. I gave him a shirt.” 

“Tall?” 

“Yeah,” Bilvy answers. “And pretty.” 

“Do you have a name?” 

Bilvy shakes his head. “He's with the gorgeous red-head, though. Saw them drive away together. No freaking plates, so don't even ask. They were heading into Leto territory.”

“You send them there?” 

“They're good people and they can fix cars.”

As statements go, these are both true. Still, Letos, fuck. Poison messed one time too many with the older brother. Kid bets J is still pissed at them.   
“What else should I have done? Send them your way? So you can do what?” Bilvy answers. 

Kid shrugs. It's no secret people die when they hang around them too long. He and Poison, are enemies number one. Ghoul and Jet Star too. Happens when you target BLIND facilities. Bombs and molotov cocktails don't make you a lot of friends. 

“Chances are, he's not even your kid,” McCoy throws in. 

“He's not a kid, exactly. He's a man. Might be your age,” Bilvy says looking at Kid. 

That's good news, actually, Kid thinks. At least the saviour isn't seventeen. “If he is our kid, Korse wants him. I don't think he cares about the how much. If he is what people say he is, more dead than alive will do too.”

“He didn't look like a saviour,” Bilvy says, and Kid doesn't wonder how he knows. Bilvy is smart. He catches on freaking fast. 

“Poison doesn't look like he could fuck you up. Badly.” 

Bilvy smiles. “Point. Try your luck with the Letos then.” 

Fuck, Kid thinks again. He's pretty sure he and Jet Star will have to do that. Poison will be shot on the spot. 

~+~  
Emilie is laughing at him. He knows it, but he doesn't care. He's grinning like a mad person. He has a brand new shirt and it has colour. 

“And it only cost you a kiss,” she says. 

“I got it for free. The kiss was...a thank you,” Adam answers. He's maybe still in awe a bit here, but who can blame him? It's not like there was much kissing happening in the camp. 

“Right. So, you think we should find those Letos?”

“The car is making funny noises,” Adam answers. They can't afford to get stranded in the desert. 

“We don't have much money left,” she says. 

“We'll manage,” he replies, because what else is there to do? “Besides Bilvy said the shirt would get us a foot in the door.” 

“I think it's a good thing you're pretty,” she answers. 

“You're gorgeous,” he says. 

“Shut up. You don't even like girls.”

“I like them okay. I just don't wanna have sex with them.” 

She smiles and keeps quiet.


	3. Three: Pink

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _Adam looks at Shannon then. Even in his short time on the run he's heard about them. They are infamous and enemy number one. “They're the good guys, aren't they?”  
>  “There are no good guys out here, Adam,” Shannon says.   
> Adam would disagree. He thinks Shannon and his brother are good guys. _

**Three: Pink**

~1~  
Poison is feeling nervous and restless. Kid can tell from the way Poison smokes: short, sharp intakes and exhales. 

“I don't like this,” he says. 

“You have a better idea? I'm all ears.” 

“What if it isn't him? Bilvy didn't see him do anything extraordinary, did he?” 

“He fits the description,” Kid answers calmly. 

“Freaking Bilvy fits the description!”

“I didn't know you had a thing-”

“Not in the mood,” Poison interrupts. 

Kid sighs. “It would make sense sending them to the Letos if their car was broken and they needed a place to hide out.” 

Poison bangs his head against the wall and closes his eyes. He's thinking and Kid is going to let him think. “Fine, you can't take Ghoul.” 

“I know that. I can't take you either, even if it would look good if you'd came.” 

“People are after me and J still thinks I would be better off dead.” 

“You fucked him over,” Kid answers. 

Poison smiles. “Yeah, I did.” 

“I'm taking Jet Star. It's a safe thing to do.” 

“Jet has a way with words. He makes things sound reasonable. 

“Yep. I know.”

“How long do you think you'll need?”

“Five days, give or take,” Kid answers. 

Poison exhales smoke. “Don't linger. Get the info, get the kid and get out.” 

“I can't just kidnap him.” 

“We've done worse.” 

Which is so very true, Kid thinks, but he doesn't have to like it. “I'll keep in touch.” 

“You better.” 

~+~  
Adam's face is pressed against the dirty window of the car and he's silently praying for it to make it at least to the fence the boy at the market described. He is pretty sure they can make it from there on foot.   
Emilie is driving. She is a ball of concentration in white torn lace clothes, and is the only comfort he has right now. He trusts her to know what to do. It was his idea to go and find those Leto guys, but if she had fought him hard enough, he would've given in. Sometimes he has the urge to bang his head against a hard surface. It's not a healthy thought for a supposed saviour, but there you have it. 

“You're being quiet,” she says. 

“I am thinking.” 

“You're overthinking.” 

“Is there anything else we could do? Any other place to stay?” 

“We are on the run. That's no fun. People will hunt us down, Adam.” 

“Don't pretend you’re happy about driving to those guys.” 

“I don't like it, but it's away from the City at least.” 

He nods. It is away from the City, but what does that even mean? “You really think people are after us, even if we haven’t seen any BLIND guys since we broke out.” 

She gives him a sharp look. “You produce some kind of blue smoke that can form a freaking barrier, Adam! Blue, is a colour. BLIND doesn't like colours, happy people, or people who are thinking for themselves. Do you need more reasons?”   
He shakes his head. He really doesn't. 

 

~2~  
“I can't believe we're chasing ghosts in the desert,” Star says. 

Kid nods, exhaling smoke. The car smells like an ashtray, but he needs cigarettes more than he needs clean-ish air right now. He can't believe this either, but it was his idea. Well, Poison didn't fight him very hard on this thing with the messiah, so. 

“I can't fucking believe Bilvy sent them to the Letos.” 

“He did so we wouldn't get to him, them. Bilvy said he's with a girl.” 

“Bilvy hates our guts.” 

“Everyone hates our guts, Kid,” Jet Star answers. “We did get McCoy nearly killed that one time.”   
They did, but how long is Bilvy going to hold that grudge? “Forever,” Star says reading his mind. 

“I didn't know they were fucking,” Kid answers. “And between McCoy and Poison, I'll always choose Poison.”

Jet Star smiles. “Between Poison and anyone, you'll choose Poison.”   
The truth is, between Poison and everyone, he'll always choose Poison. The world could burn if that's the price for Poison's life. Kid suspects Star knows that.

~+~  
“NO Trespassing,” Adam reads out loud. “Great.”  
Emilie gets out of the car and looks at the fence. It looks like something out of history books. It looks like the land just behind it could be mined, for god's sake. 

“We aren't trespassers.” 

“We aren't invited,” Adam answers. 

“We are refugees,” she says.   
He laughs out loud. He suspects they are.  
“And if there should be a problem-”

“Like bullets aimed at our hearts?” Adam interrupts. 

She rolls her eyes at him while she's pulling up her shirts. “You do your blue smoke-thing. And save the day.” 

“I don't know how!”

“You did it when we were in danger, it comes naturally to you to save people. Because you care Adam.” 

“Emilie,” he starts.

“No, we are climbing that fence now and then make the Letos fix our car, get supplies and maybe find someone who could help us get out of here.” 

“To Where?”

“Canada! I don't know,” she says frustrated. “I don't have all the answers, either.” 

“I'm sorry,” he answers softly and hugs her. She lets him. 

“Okay. Fence, car. That's the plan.” 

“Okay.” 

 

~3~  
They see the car from afar. 

“At least there are no bodies,” Jet Star says, ever the optimist. 

“They could be buried already for all we know,” Kid answers. 

Jet Star gives him a look. “You used to be more fun.” 

“When?” Kid wonders and he's curious too. He can't remember a time when he was fun to be around, but maybe it's true. 

Jet Star shrugs getting out of the car. He takes the gun with him. Jet Star may believe that people are good at the core, but he isn't stupid and he doesn't take chances. “Let's just hope this is nothing and go home.” 

Kid couldn't agree more. It would still be a pain, because there still would be a messiah out there. Alone in the desert or whatever, but at least they wouldn't have to deal with the Letos who want Poison dead.   
The grounds around the house are littered with cars. Some of them are even functional still. Most of them aren't. Were taken apart for parts and just left on the grounds to rust. They look like skeletons of old beasts. In a way they are. 

“No rest for the wicked,” Star says.   
Kid nods. No rest for the wicked. 

~+~  
Emilie is dying her hair blond at the sink and J is helping her. His hair is a violent pink and Adam didn't think a guy like J could pull it off, but seems J can. She is still wary, but so far nothing bad has happened. Adam takes that as a sign. Shannon is still working on a car they can take. He said the old one was a piece of shit anyway so they left it outside the fence. 

“We're getting guests,” Shannon says from the door, cleaning his hands on a rug. 

J looks up and hands Emilie a towel. “Not the good, sexy kind, I suppose?” 

“Kid is a sexy motherfucker alright” Shannon answers. 

Adam sees a complicated expression flicker over J's face. “Poison with him?”

“Kid has some sense at least, J.” 

“I get we don't like this Kid guy?” Emilie throws in. 

“We don't.”

“They're here for Adam. I would bet all I have on that,” Shannon says. 

J nods. “What's so special about you kid?”

“How do you even know they are here for me?” Adam wants to know. 

“They sure as hell wouldn't come for us. They know better. And you are the only strays we've taken in recently.” 

“How do they know we're here?” Emilie asks. 

“They are connected. They're the Killjoys.”

Adam looks at Shannon then. Even in his short time on the run he's heard about them. They are infamous and enemy number one. “They're the good guys, aren't they?”

“There are no good guys out here, Adam,” Shannon says.   
Adam would disagree. He thinks Shannon and his brother are good guys. 

J grins. “We're only nice to you because you're pretty.” 

“I always rely on his good looks to get shit done,” Emilie says. “He has these sincere eyes too.”   
There are thin pink strands in her nearly white hair. It looks good on her. Maybe Adam should give in into the blue. She throws the towel on a rickety chair nearby and looks at them. “Do we need guns?” 

“Always,” Shannon says. 

Somehow that is the thing that drives it home for Adam. “I have no idea how to use a gun.” 

“We're hoping we don't have to use them. If that helps?” J answers. 

“A bit. Not much.” 

“You will need to learn, though,” Shannon says, getting one out of a cupboard. Well, it's as good a place as any, Adam thinks. 

“We are going to talk first, right?” 

“Sure,” J answers.


	4. Four: Sandy yellow

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _“We're prepared to take him,” Kid says. Star gives him a sharp look, but as Kid has already broken the 'Don't fucking talk' rule, he isn't going to start shutting up now. This is ridiculous anyway. Poison would've probably shot them in the legs already and dragged Adam out of here and into the Am. They're wasting time they don't have._

**Four: Sandy yellow**

~1~  
There is no way in hell that they don't know we're here, Kid thinks. The freaking dust has given them away. There is no way to hide out here. Yellow- brown desert everywhere and nothing between the horizon and the ground except the Leto's work-shop. 

“Maybe it wasn't so clever to take the Trans Am,” Kid says. 

“Shannon would've known anyway. He knows how we drive, Kid,” Star answers.   
It's a freaky skill to have, but helped the Leto’s more than once. Sometimes Kid forgets about the things Shannon can do. There's so much other stuff going on. Leto’s aren't high on his priority list. Mostly they are left alone. 

“Let's hope they don't shoot us on sight,” Kid answers. 

Star gives him a look. “We're gonna knock at the freaking front door and ask a question and then we're out of here.”   
Kid nods.   
Star grins. “Let me do the talking.”

“If he's gonna trash talk about Poison-”

“Let me do the talking,” Star repeats. There is steal in his voice.   
Kid doesn't take orders from anyone except Poison and that’s only when he's feeling like it, but Star is right. He can't blast the door and kill them or whatever. First, they don't deserve it. Second, every runner in the Zones would know within a day and that isn't something that would go over well. 

“Fine,” Kid says.   
Star nods and makes his way to the front door. 

~+~  
Adam is a freaking train-wreck. He has no idea what's going to happen. He never had these kind of worries back in the camp. If he thinks about it, he never had any worries at all. Right now he isn't sure it wasn't preferable to this. 

“Jet Star's with Kid,” Shannon says. 

“They're gonna knock then?” J asks. 

Shannon nods. They've known each other a long time, Adam thinks. He wonders what kind of shit went down that they're helping themselves to ammo now.   
Adam stares at the door while Emilie is clutching his hand under the table. He is nervous, but a bit curious too. He never thought he would be able to meet the Killjoys. He wasn't even sure he wanted to until now. To be honest he still isn't sure he wants to meet them. After all, if you can believe the Leto’s, they're here for Adam. The question is why? And what do they even want with him?   
He almost jumps when he hears the knock. 

“It's freaking open,” J shouts. 

Adam waits and holds his breath as the door opens slowly, silently. “We're armed,” a guy says. 

“Of course you are, Star,” J answers. It sounds almost bored to Adam, but Emilie squeezes his hand a bit harder. 

“We're coming in,” Jet Star says. Shannon steps between Adam and the door. Blocking his view and him from view, at least a bit, Adam thinks. Shannon isn't going to let them take him away. Adam has no idea why, but he's glad that it's just that simple for Shannon. 

“Make yourself at home,” J says as the two guys enter the kitchen. His gun is out, but not trained at anyone. 

“We just have a few questions and then we're out of here.” 

“Could've called,” J says, there is something sharp in his voice. It's like Kid's existence makes his trigger-finger itch. 

“You wouldn't have picked up,” Kid answers. He holsters his raygun and curls his hands to fists at his side. Star gives him a look. 

“Talk,” Shannon says. 

Jet Star is looking at Adam and then at Emilie. “Bilvy sent us.”

J laughs. “NO way in hell did he _send_ you, Star.” 

“Okay, we talked to him because we're trying to find that messiah that the Zones are talking about.” He's still looking at Adam. He knows, Adam thinks. There is no way he could know, because how could he? There are no pictures of him around. But still, he knows. Adam is sure of it. 

“Haven't seen anyone who goes by messiah,” Shannon answers. He leans against the table. Adam wants to reach out with his free hand and touch him, just for reassurance. He doesn't. It could startle Shannon, could break his concentration. 

“Look,” Star says, “we know he's here. I know because he's sitting at your table. Poison did a sketch. After we talked to Bilvy.” 

J swears, but keeps his gun to himself. “He's not the messiah. Do you know how insane that sounds?” 

“Korse wants him, J,” Kid throws in. 

Adam shivers. He's never dealt with Korse himself, but he's seen him around. From far away. Korse creeps Adam out. It's like Korse is the antitheses to life.   
“Korse wants you too,” Shannon answers calmly. 

“Look, we can protect him,” Star says. 

“Most likely you'll get him killed,” Shannon replies. 

Jet Star takes a calming breath. Adam only sees it because he's watching the whole thing so intensely. “They will come for him.” 

“No one knows he's here.” 

“We found him,” Kid says. 

“Because The King is a sucker for you and Bilvy is a sucker for The King. But you know why he sent Adam here,” Shannon answers. 

“Because he thought we wouldn't try,” Kid says, “but we need to know what he is, what he can do and why Korse wants him so desperately. Okay? I don't believe this messiah shit any more than you do.” 

“People are talking and Korse isn't gentle when he wants info,” Jet Star adds. “He knows who escaped from the camp with Adam. They have records. They will find someone and question them. It won't be pretty and they will talk, if they haven't already. That kid we talked to broke within minutes-” 

“Who?” Adam asks. 

Kid looks at him for the first time. “Some kid named Brendon. He's safe.” 

Adam wants desperately to believe it. “He's not with you?” 

“He's with The King,” Kid replies. 

“He's not going if he doesn't want to go,” J says. His voice is steal. He's not going to budge on that one. 

 

~2~  
“We're prepared to take him,” Kid says. Star gives him a sharp look, but as Kid has already broken the 'Don't fucking talk' rule, he isn't going to start shutting up now. This is ridiculous anyway. Poison would've probably shot them in the legs already and dragged Adam out of here and into the Am. They're wasting time they don't have. 

“Fucking try!” J answers. 

“Let's calm down,” Star says, his hands raised. 

Shannon isn't looking like he's going to calm down any minute and J isn't either. Kid is ready to shoot them. No questions asked. “We need Adam out of here and back at HQ. We need him away from where Korse can find him. Drag him back, kill him or whatever he's going to do with Adam. I don't care if I have to kill you both in that process.” It's not really true, but there is a bigger picture here. He can feel it. 

“We're going,” the girl says softly. Kid's eyes snap to her. She didn't seem important before, but that just changed. 

“What?” Adam asks. 

“Emilie,” Shannon says. 

“We're going with Kid and Jet Star.” 

“We don't want you. You can stay here,” Kid says. 

She shakes her head. Nearly white hair with bursts of colour obscuring her face in the process. “I'm not staying behind and you're not gonna shoot me,” she answers. 

He really wants to prove her wrong, but he knows he won't. “Fine.” 

“Adam,” she says. 

“No,” Adam answers. 

“Adam,” she repeats. 

“We need to talk, right now. Over there,” Adam says, getting up and dragging her with him. Kid is ready to do some mayhem to something or someone. But he can't shoot the freaking messiah. Well, at least not now. He doesn't follow, neither does anyone else. They can hear sharp whispers, but can't make out words. The silence in the kitchen is tense. Kid is feeling like his skin is trying to burst open to reveal whatever is underneath it. This could get messy any minute.   
“Okay,” Adam says as they come back. He doesn't look happy about it, but Kid seriously doesn't care. 

“You sure?” Shannon wants to know. Kid really wants to shut him the fuck up. 

“No, but Emilie is,” Adam answers with a small smile.   
Something inside Kid loosens up a bit at the sight of it. 

~+~  
Adam is still expecting them to try to stop them. Some small part of him even wishes for it. It's not that he doesn't trust Emilie, because he does. Still, Shannon and J seem so much saner than Kid and Jet Star.   
J looks at Emilie then. Shannon nods like he gets whatever is going on. And what does Adam know? Maybe Shannon does get what is going on and why she decided that it would be safe with Kid and Jet Star. Maybe Shannon is like them. Maybe J is too – to some degree. 

J puts the gun on the table. “You can come back any time,” he says.   
Adam nods. He was hoping they could. 

“If Poison tries anything funny, run and call,” Shannon says. He writes something on a piece of paper, folds it and passes it over to Emilie, who lets it disappear in her bra.   
Kid looks grim at the mention of Poison's name, but keeps silent. Maybe because Jet Star is staring him down. 

“I will, believe me.” She looks grim too, Adam thinks. She doesn't trust Kid and Jet Star, but she is trusting that they aren't here to kill them. They are here to get them to safety. At least Adam. And where Adam is going, she is going and the other way around. 

“Let's go,” Jet Star says.   
Kid looks like he's going to snap any minute now.   
Emilie nods. J hands his raygun to her and she takes it. She's never used one before, but Adam is sure she'll know how to fire it anyway. She'll know because J knows it and this is J's gun. Adam suspects that's why he’s giving it away. 

“Thank you for everything,” Adam says and wants so desperately to hug them both. Shannon makes it easy as he grabs Adam's hand and drags him against his body. Adam hugs back. 

 

~3~  
Jet Star is stealing glances at the passengers in the back. Kid can't blame him. He's sure Jet Star anticipated more trouble than that. He wonders why they're coming so easily. He's glad he didn't have to shoot or kidnap anyone for that matter. He isn't so sure about taking the girl. Star probably isn't either. But it's not like they had much choice in that. Kid knows that Adam wouldn't have gone with them if they had left her behind. Poison will have to deal. Whatever. Kid did what he could. The rest is up to- whoever, because god obviously doesn't exist. 

“We should be there in a few hours,” Star says.   
Kid sees Adam nod in the mirror. He's very quiet and looks tense. The girl – Kid can't remember her name – is squeezing his hand. He can just make their hands out under the layers of torn lace.  
They look like two lost children. Hänsel and Gretel stranded in the desert.   
He looks away and out of the car window. The sun is going down and painting the sand yellow-orange in the process. It looks beautiful – he usually doesn't have the time to watch it, doesn't like to linger on the perfect things nature provides either. They're lost so easily.   
He sees a shadow and thinks it's a rock for a second and then the headlights flash. Star is speeding up as Kid gets the rayguns.   
The Trans Am is kicking up dirty yellow dust. 

~+~  
Adam knows instantly that something is wrong. The sun is disappearing on the horizon painting the sand an orange-yellow, the Trans Am is kicking up dust as Star speeds up – driving like a crazy person. There are headlights in the oncoming darkness. A car as white as a ghost. Emilie lets go of his hand and he looks back. There are things after them. 

“Korse or just some lucky fucking Dracs?” Jet asks. 

“Let's hope for the latter. No way in hell could Korse have found out that fast...” Kid shuts up and fires.   
Adam isn't so sure. Kid himself said Korse had ways that weren't pretty to find out what he needed to know. He could be on the way to the Letos now. 

“We didn't get there by chance and no one from the camp knew where we were heading, Adam. We didn't know at the time,” Emilie says softly. He wants to believe her. He can't stand the thought that people are being tortured right now because they were unlucky enough to escape with him, to see what he could do. 

“Watch out!” Jet Star screams and Adam focuses on the cars and gunshots again. There is still one behind them and one just comes out of freaking nowhere – just like the abandoned house ahead of them. Star hits the breaks, Kid's swearing and still firing at the Dracs behind them. Adam knows they won't make it, he just knows. Emilie grabs his arm hard, she knows too. They are going to crash right into that bleached out brick. 

It just happens then. The smoke builds a soft barrier, a safe zone, an airbag between them and the   
brick. The Trans Am screeches into a halt. The Drac's car explodes in the distance, but that's Kid's doing. Adam only protects lives. 

“Holy shit,” Star states. He watches Adam in the review mirror. The last Drac car crashes into the house as Kid throws what Adam thinks is a hand-grenade. The flames make the sand burn yellow. The only sound is coming from the fire. 

“Poison's gonna call bullshit on that one,” Kid says into the silence. 

“From me, sure. From Pony, D? Adam himself. Sure. From you?” Star answers looking away from Adam and at Kid who just lit up a cigarette and is smoking it calmly.   
Kid exhales and takes another drag. “Not so sure,” Jet Star finishes.


	5. Five: Red

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _He didn't have a plan when he broke out of the camp, but if he had had one, it wouldn't have been being a resistance messiah._

**Five: Red**

~1~  
“Bullshit,” Poison says. He hasn’t even looked at Adam once since they got out of the car. He hasn’t looked at the girl either. Star's with them now drinking tea or whatever. Kid doesn't know. What he does know is that Star didn't want to deal with Poison, which Kid can't blame him. Since this whole messiah thing started Poison's been on edge…more on edge that is. 

Kid gives him a look. “I was there. I've seen it.”

“You don't know what you've seen, that's what you said. _Something_ isn't very accurate.”

Kid rolls his eyes at him. “He has-” he hesitates for a second and then just says it: “powers. Okay? He can do what people say he can do. Maybe not all of the stuff that is going around _now_ in the zones, but he did protect us.” 

“Protect,” Poison repeats.   
Something in Poison's voice let's Kid's alarm bells ring. Poison takes a drag of his cigarette. He seems calm to the untrained eyes, but Kid's eyes aren’t anything but trained to decipher Poison's moods. Subtle shifts of craziness.

“You aren't going to test whatever you think needs testing, Poison,” Kid says. 

“Watch me.” 

“They came with us because they trust us not to hurt them,” Kid answers, steal in is voice. 

“If he is what people say he is, it won't hurt him. He'll protect himself.” 

Kid is not so sure. After all Adam was protecting them and if Brendon told the truth he was protecting the people in the camp. He never was protecting himself. Or maybe he was, but his main concern seemed to be other people. 

“This is crazy, you do realise that, right?” 

Poison exhales. “Calling someone with inhuman powers the messiah – that is crazy.” 

“He's not calling himself that,” Kid argues. Adam never ever said he was the messiah, or a messiah, he is just Adam. Kid bets he only wants to be left alone. 

“I'm not gonna shoot him,” Poison says taking a last drag and putting the butt out against the nearest wall. 

“Could've fooled me for a second there,” Kid answers. 

Poison smiles. “No, I couldn't.” 

Kid exhales slowly. Poison reaches out then, his fingertips dance over the back of Kid's hand. He pulls Kid in with the other and Kid lets him. There aren't enough of these moments. “You smell like the desert and gasoline,” Poison whispers leaning in, closer still. Kid can feel Poison's breath on his skin warm and moist. Kid inhales Poison's scent: cigarette smoke mostly and sweat, leather too. A soft barely there hint of paint.

“You smell like home,” Kid answers and feels Poison's fingers tighten. His breathing is a bit faster too. One day, Kid thinks, one day-

“Let's talk to that messiah then,” Poison says, his lips drag against the tender, dirty skin of Kid's neck as he speaks. Kid bites his lip and nods. 

~+~   
Adam has to admit to himself that he feels a lot less safe than he did before he demonstrated his- well, powers, he thinks. Now they know. They've seen it and there is no way around it.   
Jet Star puts a mug of what looks like tea in front of him and he looks up. 

“What happens now?” 

“I have no idea,” Jet Star answers. He sits down too. This place they're at doesn't feel like the Leto's workshop that was obviously the Leto's home too. This here feels like a hideaway, a place to hide and be and not to live. Adam doesn't think he wants to stay here for long. That's not the life he wants. 

“I don't get what you guys want with him,” Emilie says. 

“Poison thinks it's good to know everything that Korse knows.”   
Adam isn't convinced. He gets that Korse is the enemy, but he doesn't get why he has to be here. They could've just sent him off somewhere where BLIND can't find him. And where would that be, a voice at the back of his head asks. He has no idea, is the thing. But he knows that he isn't meant for a life on the run like the Killjoys or other zone-runners. 

“We don't know what Korse knows. I didn't even know about this,” Adam waves his hand and Star smiles at him. “I just assumed; I have no idea, okay? It was pills day in and day out. There wasn't much thinking involved for- I don't know. Years, maybe.” 

“You can't remember how long you stayed there?” 

Adam shakes his head, he's tried, but it's just gone. “No.”

“Your parents?” 

“No.”

“Anything at all?” 

“No, pills day in and day out and then things started to happen and I just knew I couldn't stay there anymore. So we ran.” 

Jet Star nods. It's probably a story he's heard a million times already. It's probably his own story as well. Not many people in the zones were born in the zones. At least that's what the Leto's said. Adam has no other source of information. The things BLIND told them are all lies. They should be best forgotten.   
“Anything else besides the medication?” 

“Tests,” Emilie says. 

“And work. Mindless work. Every day the same thing,” Adam adds. 

Jet Star nods again. “That isn't unusual. The camps are for people who just can't fit in. They have to keep them somewhere. Separated from the main population.”

“They brainwashed us?” Adam asks. 

“Probably, but you,” he says, “you seem to be a whole other deal.” 

“And Korse wants you back,” another voice says and Adam turns to the door. There is no mistaken who he's speaking to. Party Poison is everything J said he would be: vibrant, alive, and angry. Violent red hair and pale skin, cigarette in one hand. His eyes are sharp: Adam has the urge to back down. Stupid. Adam is bigger than Poison, but Poison knows how to kill people, the small voice reminds him. Adam tells it firmly to shut up. He can't deal with it now. 

 

~2~  
Kid stands back as Poison looks the so-called messiah over. He is pretty enough, the kids got that right. His eyes are a piercing blue. In another world, in other circumstances Poison would probably sit down and draw that boy, but here and now he's something that Korse wants. Badly enough to install terror at the edge of the zones. Raids are a daily thing now. Kid knows that Poison doesn't like to admit it but Korse wouldn't do all this if there wasn't something special about this kid.   
And there is something special about Adam. Kid can see it; he bets Poison can see it too. 

“D is working on getting copies of your paperwork from the camp,” Kid says into the silence. Adam looks away from Poison then and at him. He nods. 

“So we'll know what the deal is with you.”

“I don't understand,” Adam says. 

Poison exhales smoke. “It's possible you were born with these powers or whatever we want to call it, but it's also possible they did this to you and that wouldn't be a good thing.” 

Maybe Adam is the only prototype of some kind of human weapon-experiment. Kid doesn't even want to think about that possibility. Screwing around with people's brains and chemistry is bad enough, screwing around with DNA to breed inhuman weapons is a whole other deal. Inhuman and unaware. Perfection in Korse's eyes for sure.   
If Adam was bred he turned out to be wrong, but science is all about learning from failures if nothing else. 

“What happens with us?” Adam asks. 

“It depends. If you were born this way I guess there is nothing to be done. We will find you a safe place to stay. Far away from BLIND-”

“We'll be on the run for the rest of our lives,” Adam cuts in. 

Poison looks at him sharply. He isn't interrupted often and the only one who really dares to do it is Kid anyway. Poison takes a hard drag of his cigarette and crushes it under his heel.   
“Yes. That is your option number one. I would take it.”

“What is the other?” Adam dares. 

“I'll put a bullet into that pretty head of yours now and save us all a lot of trouble,” Poison answers sweetly.   
Jet Star opens his mouth to say something, but Kid shakes his head sharply at him. Confrontation has to come from Adam and Adam alone. 

“Fucking try,” Adam says. There's anger underneath his calmness. Poison can sense it too. His lips curl into a smile. 

“Don't think I won't.” 

“You aren't what people think you are,” Adam says softly. 

“No one ever is,” Poison answers and leaves. Kid doesn't fallow him. Poison needs to be alone now, Kid knows that. He needs to think and cool down. At least no one died today that they know of. Kid counts it as a good day. 

~+~  
Adam isn't sure what he expected but it wasn't this. He and Emilie aren't quite prisoners, but they aren't free to go either until Doctor D has their paperwork. And even after that, life looks pretty uncertain. 

“Thinking big thoughts?” Emilie asks. 

“I need to know how to control this,” Adam answers looking at his hands. It was only a reaction to a situation so far, but he is sure it can be more than just a reflex. It could be – his mind shies away from the word weapon, at least for now – it could be useful. She nudges him and he looks up. 

“You'll learn, I guess, with time.”

“Is it stupid that I am still unsure if I want to know?” 

“No,” she answers. 

He nods, looking over the seemingly endless desert. He knows on some level that the desert isn't endless, but he also knows that it used to be a whole lot smaller than it is these days. You can't not pick shit up if you're sharing living space with Shannon. Adam misses Shannon, J too. 

“I think Party Poison is ready to crack,” Adam whispers. He doesn't think anyone else is out here, but he'd rather be safe than sorry.   
She leans against him, her thin shoulders shaking. For a second he thinks it's because she's cold, than he realises she's laughing. 

“Honey, you have no idea. He's an utter nutjob.” 

“Good to know. Why are we even here?” 

“Because Kid isn't. He genuinely wants to help us make it out of this clusterfuck alive.” 

Adam wishes he'd knew half the things she does. She presses a kiss to his temple – she has to stand on her toes to do that – and he wraps his arm around her.   
“I trust you.” 

“I know. I trust you too,” she answers. 

 

~3~  
For the first three days Emilie and Adam are staying at HQ, Kid is wary. He is watching Poison and Poison smirks whenever he catches him doing it. It's not Kid's fault he's paranoid. He was raised that way and with Poison sometimes on the verge of losing it, well. Kid is ready to wrestle Poison down and keep the gun so he doesn't try to shoot Adam.   
Ghoul isn't any help because he's feeling restless too and he plain just doesn't like having Adam here. He thinks Adam is trouble, which of fucking course. That might even be a reason why Poison _doesn't_ shoot him.   
That and because he's pretty. Vulnerable, fresh meat. Kid feels strangely protective.   
Jet Star is the only one who keeps Kid sane. 

“Thing is, he's not going to run,” Jet Star says, handing Kid a smoke. 

Kid takes a deep drag and exhales slowly. “His best chances are with us.”

“Leto’s disagree on that one.” 

“Leto’s have their reasons, but they aren't on the front lines. They're just fixing cars and taking in strays.”

“It's a business,” Jet shrugs. 

Kid knows that. He doesn't begrudge them what they're doing and they are good at what they're doing. Everything Kid knows about motors he's learned from Shannon.   
“Poison is interested in Adam,” Jet Star says. He tries to make it sound casual, but he's worried, like he should be. Kid is worried too. 

“I know. I've seen him looking.” He really doesn't like it. Poison has an obsessive streak. Possessive too. 

“I don't think,” Jet Star stops and Kid knows he's thinking over how to phrase this somehow delicately. 

“Don't bother,” Kid says with a smile. 

“It won’t end well.” 

“Disaster is the word you're avoiding.”

“The sooner the Doc clears them the better.” 

“You really believe that? Korse still wants Adam. Pony said as much.” 

“I'm hoping for some good fake I.D.’s and them growing coffee far, far away from here.” 

Kid laughs. Even to his own ears it sounds surprised and somewhat unused. “You're hoping for a lot.” 

“Hope springs eternal, Kid. Why else would we be doing this?” Jet Star asks and the thing is that Jet Star believes that too. It makes Jet Star so important to them.   
Jet Star is hoping for things to get better someday. He might not live to see that day, but he believes it will come. Ghoul just wants to blow shit up before they get to him. Poison hates Korse with everything he's got. With all his beating heart. His obsessions are his own, but Kid was dragged into it nevertheless because Kid couldn't live without Poison. Thing is, Kid believes in Poison even if Poison hasn’t given him one fucking good reason lately.   
Kid takes a last drag from his cigarette and crushes it on the sand. 

~+~  
“You are what he used to be,” Adam says, sitting down next to Kid on the sand in the shade of the diner. Kid heard him for sure when he approached, but chose not to get up. Maybe that's a good thing. 

“I'm not,” Kid answers, taking a drag of his cigarette. “You don't know him.” 

Adam is pretty sure Kid denies it on instinct. Something about Kid's and Poison's dynamics escapes Adam's comprehension.   
“I've heard stories about him-”

“We've heard stories about you and are they true?” 

“I am not the messiah,” Adam answers. 

“Neither is he,” Kid says angrily. “He is not the answer to your prayers. He's never been. He never wanted to be the face of the revolution.” 

Adam gets it, but he thinks it's way too late for that now. Poison and his merry band of misfits (even if they aren't merry at all) are the faces of the revolution. For years now.   
“You're icons,” Adam replies. 

“We've made a fuckton of enemies in the process,” Kid says softly. He takes another angry drag. “Screwed people over we liked, got people killed-”

“You did what you had to,” Adam interrupts, but he is shocked. He knew things were a lot harder in the zones, people too, but seeing it all laid out is different. 

“You're cute and you're clueless and you're going to be eaten alive,” Kid answers angry. 

“Emilie is sure you won't let anything happen to us.” 

“I can't be there every second of your life.”  
Why not, Adam thinks? He could just stay here maybe. He could use his ability to help the resistance and possibly get killed in the process. He didn't have a plan when he broke out of the camp, but if he had had one, it wouldn't have been being a resistance messiah. He bets that wasn't Kid's dream either. “You need to learn to protect yourself.” 

“Kid-”

“You don't get it, do you? I can't protect you from him.” 

“Can't or won't?” Adam answers, he doesn't pretend he doesn't know who they're talking about. Poison is the most dangerous thing Adam's come across so far, except Korse and to be honest Adam has no clue which is worse. At least Poison doesn't want to cut him open and see how he ticks. 

“Won't.” Kid crushes his butt on the sand and gets up.   
Adam doesn't. He grabs a handful of warm desert sand and let's it slip through his fingers. He can't be inside now.


	6. Six: Bruised Purple

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _He lets Poison's mouth close over his and exhales the smoke. Poison's mouth feels warm and his lips a bit chapped. It's not quite a kiss and it tastes like something burned, which is very appropriate._

**Six: Bruised Purple**

~1~  
“That's what I wanted when we left the City for the first time,” Poison says softly. He hooks his chin on Kid's shoulder and watches Adam washing and singing under his breath under the sun. One of the walls is completely busted in the shower area- they are glad they have water and pipes that work when they feel like it.   
Adam's totally unaware that he's being watched. Still hasn’t developed the necessary instincts. But he will, Kid is sure. “I wanted to sing the revolution. I wanted to be the voice of the resistance.” 

“I know,” Kid answers equally softly. He grabs one of Poison's hands on impulse and Poison sighs in relief or maybe contentment. 

“I have all these songs up there,” he whispers tipping his temple with his free hand. Kid can feel every word on his skin. It's a bit like torture. He's sure Poison knows. 

“His voice is good,” Kid says. Adam could make a living out of it in the underground clubs and bars. 

“He's perfect,” Poison replies.   
Kid squeezes his hand until he hears the bones grind together. It must hurt, but Poison doesn't make a sound, nor does he pull away. Sometimes hurting each other is the only way to connect. It used to be different. 

“He'll be gone soon,” Kid says. 

“I'm not so sure.” 

“He'll be gone soon,” Kid repeats hard. 

“You like him,” Poison says, half surprised, half something else. Something ugly Kid doesn't want to know about. “Enough I wonder to stand your ground?” Poison whispers and he turns a bit so that his lips brush Kid's skin when he speaks. 

“Don't test me,” Kid answers. In his head it's a plea, but his voice doesn't betray it. Poison probably knows anyway. They know each other too well. Always did. 

“And he's flawless too.”

Kid wants to punch him. “I swear-”

“I wish you would, you know?”

“I would, if I thought it would make things better, make things different, change anything at all, I would.” 

Poison sighs. Kid loosens his grip on Poison's hand, but doesn't let go. “Sometimes I wish you wouldn't remember how it was before.” 

“How you were before,” Kid corrects. 

Poison nods. Kid can feel it against his skin. “I'm going to have him.” 

“I know.” 

“And you won't stop me,” Poison says. Somehow it sounds a bit like a question. 

“I won't.” 

~+~  
“They raided the Letos' place,” Pony says. Adam only knows about Pony because Jet Star told him the basics. And D doesn't have that many pretty messengers working for him. 

“Are they okay?” Adam asks. 

Pony nods. He cocks his head and looks at Adam. “You do look a bit like a messiah. Not the tough type though. No John Connor.” 

“I have no idea who that is,” Adam admits. 

“Doesn't matter. You look like you couldn't dodge a bullet, but like someone people could trust.” 

“Any progress on the papers?” Poison asks from the doorway. Pony smiles. It's an amused and seductive smile at the same time. The boy at the market smiled like that at Adam. Well, the boy's smile wasn't so sharp. But maybe you had to have an edge to cut if you were dealing with Poison. 

“If there was I would be handing shit to you right now. Or Kid.” 

Poison huffs out a laugh. “So, why are you here?” 

“They raided the Letos' place,” Adam cuts in. 

Poison looks at him sharply. “Why would I care about that?” 

“I care. They looked out for me and Emilie. They are in danger because of us!”

“Everyone is in danger constantly out here. If it weren't you it would've been something else,” Pony says calmly. 

“Did they get any information?” Poison wants to know. 

“Please, the place was empty when Dracs swamped it.” Pony leans against the wall and crosses his arms over his thin chest. “Give them some credit. They weren't born yesterday. They know how to disappear. But I bet Korse is pretty fucking sure you have his messiah now. D has intercepted a few messages. Korse is furious.”   
Poison smiles like that is a good thing. Adam has the urge to scream. He doesn't care what the deal between Korse and Poison is, he just wants out of here. This is the third week in and Kid left him alone with Poison. He said it was okay because he knew Pony was coming, but Adam has no idea how Pony can protect Adam from Poison if Poison should want to shoot him just for shit and giggles. 

“How long will it take with the papers?” Adam asks. 

Pony shrugs. “He's deciphering them as we chat. Getting this stuff is only half the problem. The other is that this shit is in code.”   
Adam closes his eyes. 

“And we can't trust any outside source on this one. He's doing it all by himself,” Poison adds. 

“It's done when it's done.” 

“This is my fucking life we're talking so casually about!” Adam explodes. He's had enough of sitting around and doing nothing. Waiting to be told if he's a human weapon bred or born – as if it mattered, for other people to decide what to do next. 

“This isn't fun for us either,” Poison answers sharply. 

“Could have fooled me!” 

“Listen you little-” 

“Yeah, no,” Pony cuts in. He uncurls from his place at the wall and looks Poison in the eyes. 

“Shut up!” 

“Cigarette break,” Pony answers calmly. He's probably dealt with Poison's moods more often than Adam thought at first. There is a familiarity to his actions. 

“A quick one,” Poison says. 

“Whatever,” Pony replies. 

“Don't wander off,” Poison tells Adam. Adam wants to do just that and maybe steal something valuable just to spite Poison. “I mean it. Kid has the bike. Ghoul and Star the Trans Am. The desert will kill you.”   
One worry less on your hands, Adam thinks. 

 

~2~  
“Are you going to stick around after?” Kid asks. 

Emilie puts the skirt away she was looking at and falls into step with him. “I have nowhere to go. Maybe me and Adam are going to be artists, singers, maybe I'm going to sew things for people.”   
He thinks she'll be good at that. Her clothes look strange, but not stranger than other stuff he's seen. A bit more 19th century haunted house than late 80's disco, but honestly he doesn't care. “Party Poison doesn't want Adam to go,” she adds. She says “Party Poison” like a title not a name. Like a lot of people who don't know him. Kid never calls him by his full name. 

Kid nods. “He doesn't. He doesn't want him to stay either. He would fuck Poison up.” 

“I don't think so. I mean Party Poison is messed up already and-” she shrugs like she doesn't have the words to finish that sentence. “Adam wants to help people,” she settles on. 

“He's not cut out for this kind of life,” Kid answers. He really believes it too. It's not that Adam is a coward, it's just that he couldn't kill anyone – even if his own life was on the line. 

“You don't have to kill people to be part of the resistance,” Emilie says softly. 

He nods, it's true enough, but he can't help but wonder if it would make a difference if all of these people who are only living their lives out there would stand up and fight. Actively fight BLIND instead of this passive aggressive bullshit. Maybe that's Poison talking. After all Kid only wanted to live in peace out here with Poison when they first left the City. And it worked, it worked until they got Poison and stuff went south. The second time they left the City Poison was different. More bitter, more angry, fucked up by all the things they did to him that he never talks about.   
“Do you want to be a part of the resistance?” he asks. 

“I don't know. I wanted to be a singer...” 

Kid smiles. Yeah, Poison wanted to be a singer too. “I could set you up with The King. He likes singers. He would like Adam too.” 

“He would still be in danger here, wouldn't he?” 

“Yeah. I don't know if there is a place where he wouldn't be in danger. Maybe if he lays low-”

“He can't. He doesn't know how.” 

“To control the powers?” Funny how the word just made it into the everyday vocabulary in the last few weeks. 

“To stop caring for people around him. I think that's what triggers what he does.” 

“Yeah,” Kid thinks that too. And that's why he's pretty sure this isn't a BLIND creation. Just an anomaly. A natural mutation. 

~+~  
Adam hasn't been spying or anything. It just kind of happened. He wishes now he hadn’t seen Poison and Pony doing – things. It wasn't like anything Adam has ever imagined. It had been rough and wild and more fighting than sex. Fucking, comes to mind, Adam thinks. Like there was no time to take it slow, to enjoy fingertips on skin and lips on lips.   
Poison left bruises on Pony's body, Adam is sure of it. He didn't see it, he didn't stick around too long, but he didn't back away immediately either. A part of him is being eaten by guilt. A part of him wonders how that might feel.   
He's sitting outside again, playing with the sand and staring at the horizon or dunes or whatever when Poison comes out and leans against the wall, just a few inches away from where Adam's back is resting against it in the shade of the diner. 

“Is Pony gone?” 

“Yeah.” 

“You feeling less like ripping my heart out?” Adam asks. He just can't help himself. Party Poison irritates the hell out of him. It's like an itch under his skin. A constant fucking itch. 

“You just don't know when to shut up, do you?” 

“Just because everyone else is bowing to your craziness doesn't mean I will,” Adam answers. He's keeping his voice neutral – like Poison. 

“They do, don't they?” Poison asks. Adam can hear him exhaling smoke. He doesn't look up, grabs another handful of sand instead. 

“Except for Kid,” Adam says quietly. 

“Yeah, he'll never take any shit from me,” Poison's voice sounds fond. 

“He believes in you. It's beyond me why, but he does.” 

“Because I used to be a fucking sane and good person once upon a time.” He flips the butt of his cigarette and Adam watches it sail and then land somewhere he can't see. Only the smoke for a bit before it goes out. “You're really pretty,” he adds, brushing a finger against Adam's neck. Adam didn't sense him moving at all. His fingers clench around the sand, but he doesn't lean away. “Especially your nose – in profile.” His finger runs over the bridge of Adam's nose and down, brushing softly against his lips. “Your mouth too,” Poison nearly whispers. “And it feels as soft as it looks.” 

Adam gasps, exhaling too sharply, trying to keep his lips closed. Poison's finger is just resting and Adam is too aware of his own skin. He backs away and bangs his head on the wall. “Fuck.” Adam rubs his head, looking up at Poison, who doesn't look at Adam. He looks up at the sky, getting darker by the minute. 

“Most of the time I feel the urge to destroy everything perfect,” Party Poison says.   
Adam closes his eyes and keeps silent. He has no idea what to answer. 

 

~3~  
“Emilie wants to join the resistance,” Kid says.   
Poison hands him his half smoked cigarette. Not a good sign: means they're running out too fast. There weren't any cigarettes at the market today, but he got tobacco. Counts for something. 

“Doctor D is deciphering their files.”

“Why keeping it so hushed up? People are crazy about that messiah stuff. Half of them think it's bullshit. McCoy could help with this.” 

“Not gonna argue with Doctor D. You can try. I am just not in the mood.” 

“You seem better,” Kid answers, taking a drag and exhaling slowly. 

“Fucked Pony, messed around with Adam. All things considered it was a good day. No one died that we know of either. Isn't that the definition of a comedy?”

“Sure is the definition of a good day. They didn't have smokes. Letos are still in hiding.” 

“And the day just got worse. A lot worse.” Poison says, but he's smiling at Kid. 

Kid smiles back. “I've got tobacco.” 

“We can tear up some of the old drawings. I don't need them anyway.” 

“I've got some paper too. No need for that.” 

Poison shrugs like it doesn't matter either way to him. It used to be different. Now and then he still sketches, but recently mostly only to get a point across, maps or faces of people they're looking for. The last thing he did was Adam's face and he did it fucking great only on Kid's description who had it from Bilvy.   
He wonders if Poison would have kept it, wonders if he's drawn more since Adam arrived here.   
He doesn't ask. 

“Share the last drag?” Poison asks. It's not a real question, because the answer will always be yes and he knows it.   
Kid nods, takes a drag and hands the nearly burned down smoke to Poison.   
Poison ignores it, tilts Kid's head in his direction instead and leans forward. There is no pressure, nothing is expected of him, Kid knows that. He could just turn away now and it wouldn't mean a thing. No bad blood, no second chances.   
He lets Poison's mouth close over his and exhales the smoke. Poison's mouth feels warm and his lips a bit chapped. It's not quite a kiss and it tastes like something burned, which is very appropriate. Poison exhales between them and leans his head against Kid's. “Happy birthday,” he whispers.   
Kid wants to claw his way inside Poison's body and build a nest there. So he'll never have to leave. The next best thing is to cling to Poison as long as this moment is going to last. 

~+~  
“Deep is despair,” Adam reads on one of the pieces of paper littering the small table in the back. Emilie wraps her arms around him from behind and he sighs. He hasn’t talked to Poison since that thing two days back and Poison hasn't acknowledged his existence either. He doesn't know if this is worse from before or an improvement. 

“They've done things to him,” she whispers. “Horrible things.”   
He doesn't ask her how she knows. She just does. She knows about these things because she's like him, but different. It can't be nice to be able to feel all this anguish all the time, but it's not like he can take it away from her or Poison. On some days he even envies her ability. She understands people, she understands him. 

“I know that he's broken,” Adam answers. Still, he thinks. Still. He's so alive, so angry, so vibrant. If they had the same abilities, he bets Poison's smoke would be crimson, crashing with Adam's cool blue, or mingle to a vibrant purple.   
Adam has dreams about that. About him and Poison clashing, about him pushing Poison against a wall, drag his mouth down that dirty neck. Dreams about the soft touch of Poison's fingertip against his lips. That moment is on a loop, repeating itself from various points of view. He wonders how it would taste, that skin. Wonders if he could make Poison slow down, take his time. If Poison would let him explore every corner, curve and scar, every beautifully hidden place and bruise. 

“All he wants is to kill Korse, so this can be over,” she says softly. 

Adam turns then to look at her. “You wrote this,” he whispers. She nods. “What about Kid? What about the resistance?” 

“I think,” she says, “sometimes these things matter more to him. There are days that are worth living for. But mostly he wants it to be over, for someone to replace him, maybe. I don't know. I just get these vibes, these pushes of feelings. Not thoughts.” 

“What about Kid?” Adam repeats, but it has another meaning now. 

“He knows. Of course he does. He doesn't think he could make it without Poison. But he's strong, I think he could.” 

“He loves Poison, I know,” Adam answers. Emilie nods, but he just knows there's something she doesn't tell him. “What?” 

She bites her lip. “They're blood related. I don't think anybody else knows. It's safer that way, you know?” 

He nods, but his brain isn't processing it fast enough. It's stuck on the word brother and what it really means. “There is a one-child policy in the City.” 

“Yes, but only for the last 20 years, remember? Shannon told us.” 

“They look-” 

“It doesn't matter, Adam. I know it.” She takes his hand and squeezes, he pulls her into a hug. “We can never let them know we know. We can't speak about it either.” 

“I know,” Adam answers. 

“Sometimes it's too much to keep it all in, Adam,” she says against his chest. He can feel her breath, warm and most through his t-shirt. 

“You can trust me,” he answers, kissing her head. 

“I do.”


	7. Seven: black/white

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _“Yes, fuck I do.” It wasn't meant to be this way. But Adam is a nice person, he has ideals and morals and faith. Things the zones lack recently. Maybe he is the messiah, a messiah, someone they really need. Poison is so clearly tired of being who people need him to be these days and Kid is too._

**Seven: black/white**

~1~  
This is not going to go over well, Kid thinks. He's glad he's the first to have a look at the papers. Pony didn't open the envelope, but there is no way to tell if D told him anything. He thinks about just packing Adam's and Emilie's things and send them on their way. Maybe talk Pony into giving him the Letos' new address. And a ride. They could make it with the Letos' help. 

“The papers from D?” Star asks.   
Kid nods. He lights a cigarette and hands them over to Jet Star and waits. Smoking in silence while Jet Star reads.   
“What a clusterfuck. That bit about Emilie? That isn't going to go over well. That Brendon kid?” he asks, tipping at a photo on the small screen. 

“Yeah, one of them,” he has no idea what 'one of them' means, but it's the only term he could come up with now. 

“I am so fucking glad now that Ghoul and Party are out and blowing shit up to distract Korse and his minions.” 

“No shit,” Kid answers. He wonders what Emilie knows. Wonders what Poison will do to her to find out. 

“We should just pack their stuff and send them off. Not our problem.” 

“Yeah.”

“But we're not gonna do that,” Jet Star goes on. 

“No.”

“Because we're the good guys.” 

“Because we're stupid as fuck, Jet. That's why.” 

Jet Star smiles. “Are you going to tell Poison?” 

It's not really surprising that Jet Star asks. Things are shifting. Responsibilities are too. Poison is still a mean motherfucker who will fuck your shit up, he's also losing it more and more often these days. 

“He's our leader,” Kid answers which is no real answer at all. He knows it, Jet Star knows it too. 

“It says Adam has a brother, somewhere in another facility. There are allusions to a control subject all over the whole thing.” 

“I know. Blood related and all that jazz too. Funny how they can ignore their own fucking rules, isn't it?” He exhales smoke angrily. 

“We didn't know that since yesterday, Kid.” 

“He'll want to find his brother. I know he'll want to,” Kid answers, ignoring Jet's statement. 

“How many of these facilities are even out there?” Star asks. 

“No fucking clue. And I don't like it. I bet Adam and Poison will ask that same fucking question for different reasons.”

“Did you read what they do to the 'failed' subjects. Those that didn't meet the expectations? Those with only 'useless' abilities?” Jet Star puts the screen aside. He looks disgusted. 

“And they're tasting children too. I bet Adam and his brother were separated from their families. Adam's file says his parents are deceased.” 

“We all know what that means. They were probably fighting that bullshit.” 

“As any sane person would,” Kid answers, exhaling smoke. He crushes his butt under his heal on the diner-floor and leans his head against the wall. What a clusterfuck. Adam will want to go on a rescue mission for his brother. And all the other 'subjects' and when he's done with that, he'll go on a mission to save the freaking children. Maybe he'll blow shit up as he goes along.   
“He'll get himself killed,” Kid says. 

“He can protect himself and others,” Jet Star answers.

“We don't know the dimension of his abilities. What if the shield only holds a few minutes, what if that's not enough? What if he can't withhold every freaking bullet?” 

“You like him.” 

“Yes, fuck I do.” It wasn't meant to be this way. But Adam is a nice person, he has ideals and morals and faith. Things the zones lack recently. Maybe he is the messiah, a messiah, someone they really need. Poison is so clearly tired of being who people need him to be these days and Kid is too. 

“It's a good thing you care,” Jet Star says. 

“I'm not so sure.”

“Are you going to tell Poison?” Jet Star asks again. It's a critical question. It has to be thought through. Maybe it wasn't a coincidence that Pony dropped the files off today. Maybe D knows really too fucking much. 

“Yes. I need to tell him.”

“You better have a plan by then,” Jet Star answers. 

“You gonna back me up?” 

“Whatever craziness you're going to pull, I'm in.”   
Kid nods. 

~+~  
“I'm telling you first, because you need to be prepared and when I ask questions, I don't want to hear any bullshit, understood?” Kid asks. 

Adam nods. “Yeah.” 

Kid hands him the screen with all the files. “Take your fucking time.” 

Emilie sits down next to him so they can read together. The more Adam reads, the less he wants to know. He knew of course that BLIND was evil, but he never could've imagined they would experiment on children or even unborn. Why not is really beyond him as they're giving children drugs to make them good citizens. This is only the next step for them. No one can say where it will end. Adam was not bred, but fostered. Taken away from his real parents, he suspects they were killed, and raised in that facility that monitored his every move. Every little flare of his powers. And all the other kids in that facility were like him. To some degree. 

“You are the strongest. They just didn't know.” Emilie says. 

“I have a brother in another facility.” It sounds final from Adam's lips, even to his own ears. 

Kid nods. “Yeah. So, now no fucking half-truths. How good is that empathy of yours?” 

“Pretty good. I can always tell if someone is going to harm me, us. Me and Adam. I can feel their motivations, their despair, their anger, love, everything,” she looks Kid in the eyes as she says it. 

“You better keep that to yourself. I have no idea what he'll do if he'll find out you know.” 

“I know too,” Adam cuts in. 

“Figures. Fuck. You can't let him know. He'll flip.” 

“He's unstable, Kid,” Emilie says. 

“I know. Don't you think I know? Don't you know what they did to him?” 

“Horrible things, but no specifics. There is so much anger and hate in him. Love too.” 

Kid closes his eyes like he's in pain. It figures that it would make this harder for Kid, not easier, knowing that Poison still cares. He just doesn't care enough on most days.   
“I just want someone to fix him,” he admits. 

Adam wants to hug him and glances at Emilie who nods. Adam gets up and pulls Kid gently forward, no haste, no reason to attack. Kid sags against him like he hasn't been held for far too long.   
“I want to find my brother. Can Doctor D find out where they're holding him?” Adam asks. 

“He's working on it as we speak. I knew you would want to do it.” 

“You would've done it too.” 

“Yeah,” Kid answers into his too thin shirt. 

“And the children. I want to know where they're keeping the children and I want Korse's head on a platter.” 

“You're not getting that,” Kid replies. “Poison is the one who will kill him, or he's going to die trying. You can't take this away from him. I won't let you.” His voice is hard. Final.   
Adam gets it. Chasing Korse is the only thing that gives Poison a reason to live these days and Kid hopes that every passing day will give Poison another besides making Korse's life hell. Kid lives on that hope too.   
Adam wouldn't take this away from Kid. 

“I'm going to save the children then,” Adam says.

“Like Jesus,” Kid answers stepping out of the hug. 

“But prettier.” 

Kid smiles. “The world certainly thinks so.” He straightens up and looks at Emilie. “I'm going to delete your file now.”

“Won't Poison be suspicious?” She asks. 

“Jet Star is writing a new one as we speak. He's good at this.” 

“What is he going to write?” 

“Object empathy. Not a high level.” 

“I can do that. The empathy encompasses objects too. It's not like feelings of the objects, it's more like lingering senses of people who touched them,” she explains. Adam thinks she's wrong. She is the strongest of them. All these things she knows and keeps inside. All the drugs they must have given her to suppress most of it in the camp. Holly shit, he thinks. And suddenly he doesn't envy her anything. 

Kid nods. “He might shoot you,” he warns Adam. 

“Not in the face. He likes my nose.” 

“He would,” Kid answers. 

 

~2~  
“There are more kids out there like him,” Poison says reading through the files way too fast. He’s skipping shit for now, but he'll come back to it later when he has more time. 

“Yeah, Adam knows he has a brother. He's going after him.” 

“Would've probably done the same,” Poison answers. 

“I've done the same,” Kid says softly 

Poison doesn't look up, but a corner of his mouth curls a bit. These days Kid takes what he can get. “He can't just grab a car, take the girl and try for the desert. Hoping he'll stumble upon one of these facilities. They're like camps. No way of telling what is what.” 

“Doctor D is gonna help him. Letos probably too. If we aren't the ones who're asking. Shannon likes Adam.”

“It's the face. He just looks like someone who could save people.” 

“Korse-”

“I know, he's not gonna let that one go. Can you image we blew one of his pill factories and he didn't come himself? He sent minions. He wants Adam badly.”

“Pony said so too. They're moving operations. D doesn't feel safe anymore where they are now.” 

“They're way off the grid, what the fuck?”

“It's serious if Pony and D are going underground.” 

“No traffic report in the future hmm?” 

“No news about the weather either,” Kid answers calmly. 

Poison looks up from the screen. “Al these people in the camp have abilities. The girl too.” 

“Emilie,” Kid throws in. 

“Yeah. Says some kind of object empathy? What does it even mean?”

“That she can touch objects and tell you things.”

“About the people who touched them?”

“Yeah; I guess. I didn't care enough to ask her about it,” Kid answers. He wonders when he's become such a great liar. Poison could always call him on his bullshit. “She's not our main problem.”

“No, I suppose she's not,” Poison replies calmly. Something makes Kid's alarm bells tingle about that statement. He just has to wait Poison out on that one though. “Korse is.” 

As fucking always. “Any ideas how to get Adam and Emilie out of here?” 

“What does it matter? They're gonna blow stuff up in no time. We need to hook them up with a car, supplies and contacts.” 

“Not that easy. No one can know who they are.” 

Poison rubs the bridge of his nose. He puts the small reading device away and lights a cigarette. “Remember when plotting the downfall of BLIND wasn't our life?” 

“Only vaguely,” Kid answers. It's not completely true, but he doesn't think Poison wants to hear it now anyway. 

“Fake papers, I.D.s – They need to disappear permanently.” 

“We're gonna do something really fucking shady aren't we?” Kid asks. 

“We're gonna kill them. The only way to make sure Korse doesn't go after them.” 

“Can't do it alone. Korse wouldn't believe it if we'd be the ones blowing Adam's car.” 

“I know, Korse is a super paranoid motherfucker,” Poison answers, exhaling smoke. He's already formulating a plan in his head. “Can't have too many people know about this. Less people who'll have to keep a secret. Less idiots I'll have to worry about.”

“The King-”

“No, too many fucking ears. Gonna do that with D and – fucking pains me to say that – the Letos only,” Poison interrupts. 

“We'll need bodies and DNA.” 

“We need that Brendon kid,” Poison says. 

Kid doesn't like this and he's sure Adam will flip when he learns about it. But maybe Poison's not gonna tell him. “Jet Star knows where he is. I'm sure. He always keeps track of the newbies for some time.” 

Poison nods, sharply and takes another unhealthy deep drag. He keeps the smoke in until his lungs have to scream for air and then exhales slowly. “Ghoul's gonna fetch us some bodies. He has the stomach for that. He's good at stealing them too.” 

Kid nods. Of course. “Gonna send Jet Star as the ambassador to the Leto's place?” 

Poison smiles. “Shannon wouldn't shoot him. He wouldn't shoot your pretty face either. He has a thing for you.” There is something nasty under the words. Kid has known Poison long enough that he's sure Poison let it slip. 

Kid takes a step back mentally. “Is that why you fucked J over? Because you were jealous?”   
What the fuck? He is not sure if he's flattered or really fucking angry. Letos were good allies up until Poison lost it. It's good to know Poison cares, but he's a grown fucking man. 

Poison shrugs. “Maybe.” 

“It's a good thing we don't have time for this now.” 

“Let bygones be bygones,” Poison answers, taking a last drag of his cigarette and crushing it under his heel. “He should meet up with D and Pony too. Pony did let you know how to contact them when shit goes south?”

“Yeah, we're still their best bet, even if we're batshit crazy.” 

“We've always been. No news there. Hand the info over to him. We need two cars at least.”

“Got it,” Kid answers. 

Poison is quiet: Too quiet. He comes closer, stalking like a predator. Kid has a short moment of 'oh shit' before calm washes over him. Nothing to do about it now. Poison always could call him on his bullshit.   
He lets Poison come at him. Sometimes you have to ride it out.   
“I know what you did. I know what you made Jet Star do and I should shoot you on the spot. It could be considered mutiny,” Poison says. His voice is soft, but his grip on the raygun is hard. So hard that his knuckles are white around the edges. Kid can feel the point of the gun under his chin, not digging in, just resting there.   
Kid takes his chances. He always did with Poison. Always will. He grabs Poison by his jacket and rears him in so they're unbearably close. The gun shifts a bit, slides down his neck. Poison's eyes are small slits. He's angry, but not only. He's amused too to some degree. 

“I'm tired of your bullshit,” Kid tells him. 

“Sometimes I'm tired of my bullshit too,” Poison answers. 

“You're not gonna do it, we're perfect together,” Kid says. 

“I should do it because we're perfect together,” Poison replies softly, breath gushing against Kid's lips.   
Kid's fingers tighten on the jacket, Poison's loosen on the gun. Kid smiles and Poison leans in. The kiss is just a dry press of Poison's lips against his own. 

“Come on then, we have people to kill, shit to blow up and Korse to anger,” he says.   
Poison smiles. 

~+~  
Poison spreads the plan out and Adam has no clue what to answer. Crazy is the first thing that comes to mind. “You want us in the car?” 

“Yes, it's the only way to assure Korse believes it's you,” Kid answers. 

“We could be blown to pieces,” Emilie objects. 

Poison gives her a look. She takes a step back, catches herself doing it and her hands clench to fists. He knows, Adam thinks. He looks to Kid, but Kid's face is a blank. No help there. And Adam shouldn't wonder. Kid warned him. He told Adam that he won't protect Adam from Poison.   
“I could take you both out now and save myself a lot of trouble and dealing with the Letos,” Poison answers. “But instead I am giving you a chance to make it out of here alive so you can go on your own quest to save children.” 

Adam takes a deep breath. Poison might be crazy and unpredictable, but right now he's on their side and he's still a brilliant leader and plan-maker. And he's fucking hot being all alpha.   
“What about the bodies? If they check the DNA they will know we're still alive,” Adam says. 

“That's where Brendon comes in.” 

“No way. He's just a kid.” 

“He can make them be you,” Kid throws in. 

“He's only done it with living matter,” Adam answers. He's read the report. No wonder Korse is so fucking pissed that they all got away. He's hunting them all down as they speak. Adam wants to know how many of them made it out. “He's done it with flowers for god's sake! No way of telling if it works with other organisms.” 

“Too late, Ghoul's fetching him now. Along with the bodies.” 

“Where are you even getting-”

“You don't want to know,” Kid interrupts. 

Adam probably really doesn't want to know. If they have to be fresh and Brendon can only manipulate living organisms – he kills the thought right there. 

“The less you know, the better you can sleep at night. The better you are,” Poison says. His voice sounds between taunting and earnest. He doesn't want for Adam to become what he is, Adam realises. He wonders if he's going to succeed in that. The desert makes you hard and fighting BLIND can drive you crazy. But maybe it's the expectations that drive you crazy. Adam hopefully will never find out.   
“Kid and I will create something Korse can't possibly ignore. Word will get out that you've been seen with the Letos, we blow the car, they find the bodies, that will be you and the case will be closed. Korse will cut his losses and drive to the City to plot our downfall. You, on the other hand, will be out of here. Letos will provide safe passage where you need to go. You'll have to make it on your own then. D will be your only contact-”

“Pony will be your only contact,” Kid corrects. 

Poison nods. “Yeah, safer that way.” 

“We won't see you again?” Adam asks. 

“You'll be dead Adam and we don't have time to babysit your angst over this. You will have to make it on your own,” Poison repeats.   
Maybe Adam imagines it, but he could swear Poison's voice got a bit softer on his name. Fuck this shit, he thinks. All he wants right now is to have that moment back, that one moment behind the diner where he should have taken the chance to push Poison against a wall and kiss him, or let Poison do the pushing. Whatever as long as there would have been kissing involved. This, he thinks, will be the thing to haunt him from now on. That one and only regret. 

“Ghoul's on the way with the bodies, Jet Star just reported back. Letos are in,” Kid throws in after checking his communicator. 

“Two days from now you'll be both dead. Isn't it exciting?” Poison asks.   
Emilie sighs.   
Adam keeps quiet. 

 

~3~  
Kid isn't surprised that Poison doesn't object to Adam taking the Brendon kid. It's the sane thing to do. Adam can protect him better than them. Better than anyone. And Adam does need a crew to run with, or one to run. He and Emilie can't do all the children saving on their own. Kid doesn't even want to think about the freaking logistics to hide all these kids.   
He doesn't want to think about all the losses Adam will have to cut either. Kid won't be the one to tell him all this. Adam won't believe him, will resist reason. Everyone has to make their own mistakes. You pick your sides, pick your battles, you pick the people you'll raise hell for. Kid's made his choice a long time ago. He knows he would do it again. Exactly the same way for exactly the same reasons.   
Adam's hair is a mess, but that's the only indication that he was in a car that was chased by Dracs and blown to freaking pieces.   
Poison smokes a few feet away. Calmest motherfucker ever, Kid thinks, fondly. Brendon is bouncing on his feet like all the danger only makes him crave more of the same. And what does Kid know? Maybe it does. Maybe he's like Ghoul that way? Only time will tell. 

“You gonna change your name?” Kid asks. 

“So I can be badass?” Adam teases. 

Kid shrugs. “Or so no one can make any connections.” 

“No. I like the name. I'm keeping it. They aren't taking away anything else from me if I can help it.” 

Kid smiles. “Told Doctor D that. Your fake papers will have you real first name on them.” 

Adam smiles back. “Thanks.”

“For what exactly? We are after all the good guys,” Kid replies and he feels like they are too for the first time in months. 

“You are,” Adam answers and hugs him. Kid lets him. Adam gives good hugs and sometimes Kid likes to feel other people being glad that he's alive. 

“Letos are waiting. You'll have to get rid of the car, you understand? There are explosives in the trunk. A parting gift from Jet Star.” 

“Tell Jet thanks,” Adam says. 

“Will do,” Kid answers and after a short silence, “you should go and talk to Poison.” 

“I have no idea what to say to him. He scares the shit out of me-”

“When the thought of him pinning you down doesn't make you hard,” Kid cuts in. 

Adam blushes prettily. Well, fuck. Poison always had good taste. “I know you-”

“This is not something that's ever spoken out loud, Adam,” Kid interrupts sharply. He can't deal with them knowing. Not well, at least. “Most likely the next time you hear about us is from D telling you we've been ghosted. I would take my chances where I get them. Life's not gonna offer you any more, trust me.” He looks at Adam sharply. “Or you can cut your losses.”   
Adam squares his shoulders. Newbies are played really fucking easily. There is of course no way of knowing if Poison doesn't punch Adam in the face for whatever Adam's steeling himself for now.   
But whatever: sometimes you win and sometimes you lose.   
This here is a win. No one died they care about. Letos aren't pointing sharp objects at their hearts and Adam is possibly the messiah. Has to count for something, somewhere.   
He leans forward, grabbing a handful of Adam's shirt and kisses him. Hard.   
Now, he thinks, Poison's gonna probably do it too, just so he can taste Kid on Adam's lips. They are messed up like that. 

~+~  
Adam's lip stings where Poison bit him. But it sure as hell was worth it.   
Emilie is driving, Brendon is in the back. Adam already misses the Letos and Show Pony. He can't even make out the dust-cloud their car was leaving as they said their goodbyes.   
He's running his fingers over the sketch Poison pressed into his hand as they kissed. Adam's not ever going to give that one up. It's a picture of Kid smiling. A moment caught and filtered through loving eyes. It's the only thing that matters to Poison and he's given a part of it to Adam. Adam suspects because Adam has given Kid something too. He's just not sure what. Poison of course hadn't told him. He folds the paper up and puts it carefully into the inside pocket of his jacket, then he opens the envelope Pony gave him as a parting gift.   
Coordinates and stuff about the facility his brother is hold in. It seems like a small facility only five subjects in total. Maybe there were more in the beginning. D didn't list them if there were. Maybe to spare Adam's feelings. Adam is a bit ashamed to admit to himself that he's glad he doesn't have to know. He can just pretend there only were ever 5 subjects in that facility to begin with.   
Subject number three catches his attention. D could decipher a lot of shit, but not everything. What Adam gets from what they got is that this one wasn't born outside. He was born inside the facility. He might be the only one successfully bred. And they used parts of Adam's DNA for that. Adam runs a finger over the black and white photography. He looks so young, Adam thinks.   
He clicks the video-file. The boy is trashing the room and screaming. There's no sound, so Adam has no idea what he's screaming. Brendon pears over his shoulder, curiously. 

“Tommy,” he says. 

“What?” Adam asks. 

“That's what he's screaming. Tommy, over and over and over again. My name's Tommy,” Brendon replies. 

That boy has spirit. Like Adam. He has no idea what they are to each other. If they even are anything, but he's sure that if Tommy is so stubborn, he won't make it out alive. No matter the pills. He's going to try and break out. Adam has to be there first. Has to get him and his brother out and – well, something. He has no real game-plan for this, but they all learn their trade by trial and error. Shannon said that too. 

“Tommy,” Adam repeats. 

Emilie gives him a look. “You're gonna take another stray in,” she says. 

“Well-”

“Can I learn how to shoot?” Brendon throws in. 

“I guess you'll have to. Shape shifting abilities are fine, but it's too bad you can't shift yourself. Would make shit so much easier,” Emilie replies. She knows how to handle a gun like she was born with one. Letos were impressed. Adam a bit scared. He's not ready for this, but he doesn't have to use a gun. Yet. He can just protect – that's what his abilities are for. He wonders what kind of abilities Tommy has. There is no mention of it in the file. Maybe they just didn't manifest jet. Brendon's only manifested last year and got stronger since they broke out. 

“I can shift rocks and flowers and dead bodies... and other people for a short while. Has to count for something.” 

“The short while is the problem here.” 

“The bodies were burned to a crisp by the Dracs, give it a rest,” Adam cuts in. 

He gets that she's worried, but he can't be doing this now. They need to find a place to make their own. They need safe-houses, cars, weapons and supplies. They need to build a network.   
“I'm gonna give it a rest when we're dead, Adam,” she answers.   
Which is a healthy attitude out here, he guesses.   
Brendon reaches over and switches the radio on. Doctor D is on air again. It's a good sing. 

“The future is bulletproof,” D says and Adam agrees. 

~end~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And we're done. \o/   
> I hope you enjoyed the ride so far.


End file.
